The Famous Feet
AKA Bigfoot :)
The Summary...
The legend of the renowned half man- half beast has been in America since the Native Americans were here before the colonists, but in other parts of the world variations have been around even longer. It is very hard to say exactly when or where the legend started. There have been many who have claimed to see the beast, and there are many who would call it bogus.
The legend in a nutshell is that there is an elusive, mysterious, very large, hairy man-like creature that walks upright (mainly in forested areas). In fact, people that believe in Bigfoot do not think there is only one beast, but a whole species of Bigfeet roaming around so to speak.
The different variations include...
- China- The WIld Man
- United States- Bigfoot or Sasquatch
- Africa-Ngoloko
- Europe- Kaptar
- Australia- Yowies
- Indonesia-Orang-Pendek
All of these variations are said to go along with the following characteristics.
Supposed witnesses of Bigfoot characterize him as...
- being between 6-8 feet tall
- having a very large forehead like a caveman
- obviously hairy
- feet as large as 2 ft long by 8 inches wide
- bad body odor
- the ability to walk upright
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/05/the-origin-of-the-bigfoot-legend/
Bigfoot Sightings!
- Alexander the Great claimed to have encountered a Yeti in the Indus Valley, but he was told that they do not go to those low altitudes.
- Sir Edmund Hillary, climber of Mt. Everest, reported seeing large footprints while scaling the mountain. He mounted a search for the Yeti.
- Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton claimed to have found the body of a bigfoot weighing 500 pounds and being 8 feet tall. It turned out to have rubber feet, a hollow head, and fake hair. They later admitted it was a hoax, but it drew significant media attention.
These are only a few encounters that have been recorded. There are many organizations and websites that have information about more recent sightings such as..
Problems with sightings:
-Many sightings are misidentified animals, people in bigfoot suits, or just made-up stories with no evidence (the pictures are always blurry).
-Also, a body of bigfoot has never been found.
Cultural Relevance
Though many deem Bigfoot as merely a legend, the beast has a very real impact on the world. For instance in Nepal, belief in the Yeti has led to forest conservation and the protection of different animals like the red panda. This is because many Buddhist monasteries separate sections of "sacred land" that people cannot disturb, and it's common for them to do this partly because they believe the Yeti dwells within.
Also, supposed Yeti sightings and the collection of one of it's hairs has led scientists to discover a new species of bear in the Himalayas. (more detail in essay)
POP CULTURE:
Hundreds of Movies
TV Shows (like the one on animal planet)
T-Shirts
Bigfoot Costumes
And JACK LINK'S BEEF JERKY COMMERCIALS